11 Series · SOC 11-2032

Public Relations Managers Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$146,910
Median / year
+6.1%
2024→2025
$284,990
Top 10% earn
+5%
Growth '24–'34
74,850
Estimated US jobs

Public Relations Managers earn a median of $146,910 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $146,910, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $82,410 (10th percentile) to $284,990 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 74,850 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($197,600).

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The pay verdict

Public Relations Managers earn a median of $146,910, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 95% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Management, it ranks #11 of 37 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2034.

$146,910
Median annual wage
Top 5%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#11 of 37
in Management
3.5×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $197,600. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Public Relations Managers (SOC 11-2032) has a national median of $146,910 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $82,410 to $284,990, and the published mean is $164,760. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 74,850 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 49 state or territory areas and 208 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $138,520 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $146,910 in May 2025, a rise of $8,390 (+6.1%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 6,600 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry and 5 years or more as the typical related-work-experience category. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Management Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $197,600, which is +35% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $213,510. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 74,850 jobs Median $146,910/yr

Median Salary

$146,910

per year

Median Hourly

$70.63/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$164,760

average

Employment

74,850

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Public Relations Managers pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$146,910 Top 5% higher than 95% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). This entry sits in this band. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 (this entry) 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$146,910 · 95th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 11-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Public Relations Managers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 11-series occupations with growth data, Public Relations Managers sits on the faster-growing side at +5% growth and $146,910 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $50000$100000$150000$200000$250000 -10%0%10%20%30% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage General and Operatio… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.4% · Median annual wage: $105770Financial Managers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 14.8% · Median annual wage: $166570Computer and Informa… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 15.2% · Median annual wage: $175140Sales Managers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.7% · Median annual wage: $148270Managers, All Other - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $141900Medical and Health S… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 23.2% · Median annual wage: $123860Marketing Managers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.6% · Median annual wage: $166790Construction Managers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 8.7% · Median annual wage: $114990Education Administra… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.5% · Median annual wage: $105870Property, Real Estat… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.6% · Median annual wage: $69990Administrative Servi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $114130Industrial Productio… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.9% · Median annual wage: $126060Food Service Managers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $69390Transportation, Stor… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.1% · Median annual wage: $107230Human Resources Mana… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5% · Median annual wage: $149280Architectural and En… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.8% · Median annual wage: $171270Social and Community… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $80390Chief Executives - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.3% · Median annual wage: $213990Education Administra… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $104590Facilities Managers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.8% · Median annual wage: $106660Natural Sciences Man… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.7% · Median annual wage: $167220Purchasing Managers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.1% · Median annual wage: $148080Public Relations Man… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5% · Median annual wage: $146910Education and Childc… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2.5% · Median annual wage: $59300
Among 24 11-series occupations with growth data, Public Relations Managers sits on the faster-growing side at +5% growth and $146,910 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • General and Operatio…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $105770
  • Financial Managers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 14.8%, Median annual wage $166570
  • Computer and Informa…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15.2%, Median annual wage $175140
  • Sales Managers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.7%, Median annual wage $148270
  • Managers, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $141900
  • Medical and Health S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 23.2%, Median annual wage $123860
  • Marketing Managers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.6%, Median annual wage $166790
  • Construction Managers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.7%, Median annual wage $114990
  • Education Administra…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.5%, Median annual wage $105870
  • Property, Real Estat…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.6%, Median annual wage $69990
  • Administrative Servi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $114130
  • Industrial Productio…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.9%, Median annual wage $126060
  • Food Service Managers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $69390
  • Transportation, Stor…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.1%, Median annual wage $107230
  • Human Resources Mana…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $149280
  • Architectural and En…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.8%, Median annual wage $171270
  • Social and Community…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $80390
  • Chief Executives: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $213990
  • Education Administra…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $104590
  • Facilities Managers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.8%, Median annual wage $106660
  • Natural Sciences Man…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $167220
  • Purchasing Managers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $148080
  • Public Relations Man…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $146910
  • Education and Childc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2.5%, Median annual wage $59300

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+5%

About as fast as average

Annual Openings

6,600

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+4,100

83,200 (2024) → 87,300 (2034)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

Work Experience

5 years or more

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Management Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

2.8/100K

Injury Rate

0.8/100

Danger Index

4.6/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Public Relations Managers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Key Tasks

  • Assign, supervise, and review the activities of public relations staff.
  • Confer with labor relations managers to develop internal communications that keep employees informed of company activities.
  • Design and edit promotional publications, such as brochures.
  • Develop and maintain the company's corporate image and identity, which includes the use of logos and signage.
  • Develop, implement, or maintain crisis communication plans.
  • Direct activities of external agencies, establishments, or departments that develop and implement communication strategies and information programs.
  • Draft speeches for company executives and arrange interviews and other forms of contact for them.
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, government officials, and media representatives and use these relationships to develop new business opportunities.
  • Evaluate advertising and promotion programs for compatibility with public relations efforts.
  • Facilitate consumer relations or the relationship between parts of the company, such as the managers and employees, or different branch offices.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$82,410
25th$106,580
Median$146,910
75th$204,520
90th$284,990

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$39.62
25th$51.24
Median$70.63
75th$98.33
90th$137.01

Public Relations Managers pay history, 2021–2025

Published national median across 5 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$120,000$125,000$130,000$135,000$140,000$145,000$150,000 20212022202320242025 National median - 2021: $125,780National median - 2022: $129,430National median - 2023: $134,760National median - 2024: $138,520National median - 2025: $146,910$146,910
National median annual wage for Public Relations Managers, May 2021 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2021 $125,780
2022 $129,430
2023 $134,760
2024 $138,520
2025 $146,910

2021 median

$125,780

2025 median

$146,910

2021–2025 change

+$21,130 (+16.8%)

Avg/year

+4%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Public Relations Managers by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2021 $125,780 First banked release 59,850
May 2022 $129,430 +2.9% 64,280
May 2023 $134,760 +4.1% 72,760
May 2024 $138,520 +2.8% 76,060
May 2025 $146,910 +6.1% 74,850

Across the 5 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $125,780 in May 2021 to $146,910 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2021–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 59,850 in May 2021 to 74,850 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in.

Salary by State

View all 49 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 District of Columbia $197,600 +35% above national
2 New York $180,880 +23% above national
3 Virginia $176,340 +20% above national
4 New Jersey $174,980 +19% above national
5 Massachusetts $171,740 +17% above national
6 California $167,980 +14% above national
7 Maine $166,940 +14% above national
8 Colorado $162,870 +11% above national
9 Washington $159,440 +9% above national
10 Rhode Island $156,080 +6% above national
11 Connecticut $154,210 +5% above national
12 Delaware $153,010 +4% above national
13 Maryland $149,380 +2% above national
14 Minnesota $139,040 5% below national
15 Georgia $134,500 8% below national
16 Utah $132,670 10% below national
17 New Hampshire $132,660 10% below national
18 North Carolina $132,280 10% below national
19 Illinois $131,990 10% below national
20 Oregon $131,190 11% below national
21 Kansas $129,760 12% below national
22 Florida $127,550 13% below national
23 Tennessee $127,390 13% below national
24 Texas $126,670 14% below national
25 Alaska $120,920 18% below national
26 Iowa $120,730 18% below national
27 Ohio $118,670 19% below national
28 Pennsylvania $118,050 20% below national
29 Michigan $117,900 20% below national
30 New Mexico $115,260 22% below national
31 Indiana $114,960 22% below national
32 Missouri $114,710 22% below national
33 Arizona $114,400 22% below national
34 Nevada $114,130 22% below national
35 North Dakota $114,110 22% below national
36 Wisconsin $113,980 22% below national
37 Kentucky $112,320 24% below national
38 Hawaii $105,010 29% below national
39 South Carolina $104,920 29% below national
40 Nebraska $104,440 29% below national
41 Arkansas $104,170 29% below national
42 Montana $99,990 32% below national
43 Alabama $98,210 33% below national
44 Idaho $98,160 33% below national
45 Mississippi $97,160 34% below national
46 Oklahoma $96,030 35% below national
47 Louisiana $94,380 36% below national
48 West Virginia $82,380 44% below national
49 Puerto Rico $72,290 51% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 181 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $213,510 +45% above national
2 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $195,190 +33% above national
3 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $192,720 +31% above national
4 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $192,360 +31% above national
5 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $179,330 +22% above national
6 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $177,370 +21% above national
7 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $176,390 +20% above national
8 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $174,990 +19% above national
9 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $174,260 +19% above national
10 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $166,590 +13% above national
11 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $163,830 +12% above national
12 Midland, TX $163,180 +11% above national
13 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $161,320 +10% above national
14 Richmond, VA $160,540 +9% above national
15 Greeley, CO $159,900 +9% above national
16 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $158,270 +8% above national
17 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $157,630 +7% above national
18 Worcester, MA $156,850 +7% above national
19 New Haven, CT $154,210 +5% above national
20 Boulder, CO $153,370 +4% above national
21 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $153,140 +4% above national
22 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $153,010 +4% above national
23 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $152,990 +4% above national
24 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $149,990 +2% above national
25 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $148,090 +1% above national
26 Rochester, NY $147,740 +1% above national
27 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $146,970 same as national
28 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $146,880 same as national
29 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $146,370 same as national
30 Syracuse, NY $143,980 2% below national
31 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $141,710 4% below national
32 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $141,360 4% below national
33 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $141,340 4% below national
34 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $141,230 4% below national
35 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $140,800 4% below national
36 Winston-Salem, NC $140,680 4% below national
37 Knoxville, TN $140,660 4% below national
38 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $140,290 5% below national
39 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $140,250 5% below national
40 Charlottesville, VA $140,170 5% below national
41 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $140,110 5% below national
42 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $138,900 5% below national
43 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $138,900 5% below national
44 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $138,650 6% below national
45 Huntsville, AL $138,130 6% below national
46 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $137,870 6% below national
47 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $137,240 7% below national
48 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $137,200 7% below national
49 Ann Arbor, MI $137,190 7% below national
50 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $136,490 7% below national
51 Greensboro-High Point, NC $136,490 7% below national
52 Colorado Springs, CO $135,850 8% below national
53 Naples-Marco Island, FL $135,630 8% below national
54 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $134,990 8% below national
55 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $134,430 8% below national
56 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $134,390 9% below national
57 Roanoke, VA $134,320 9% below national
58 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $133,210 9% below national
59 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $133,210 9% below national
60 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $132,990 9% below national
61 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $132,600 10% below national
62 Salem, OR $132,600 10% below national
63 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $132,340 10% below national
64 Manchester-Nashua, NH $131,450 11% below national
65 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $131,280 11% below national
66 Kansas City, MO-KS $131,190 11% below national
67 Raleigh-Cary, NC $131,150 11% below national
68 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $130,950 11% below national
69 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $130,770 11% below national
70 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $130,530 11% below national
71 Salinas, CA $130,440 11% below national
72 St. Louis, MO-IL $130,280 11% below national
73 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $129,830 12% below national
74 Portland-South Portland, ME $129,800 12% below national
75 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $129,710 12% below national
76 Jacksonville, FL $129,280 12% below national
77 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $129,280 12% below national
78 Springfield, MA $128,850 12% below national
79 Ithaca, NY $128,400 13% below national
80 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $128,380 13% below national
81 Bellingham, WA $128,370 13% below national
82 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $128,280 13% below national
83 Iowa City, IA $127,760 13% below national
84 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $127,080 13% below national
85 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $127,060 14% below national
86 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $126,820 14% below national
87 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $126,520 14% below national
88 Stockton-Lodi, CA $126,360 14% below national
89 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $125,650 14% below national
90 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $125,250 15% below national
91 Fresno, CA $125,230 15% below national
92 Wilmington, NC $124,280 15% below national
93 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $124,250 15% below national
94 Columbus, OH $123,970 16% below national
95 Eugene-Springfield, OR $122,300 17% below national
96 Topeka, KS $121,880 17% below national
97 Fort Wayne, IN $121,780 17% below national
98 Fargo, ND-MN $121,370 17% below national
99 Cedar Rapids, IA $121,320 17% below national
100 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $120,420 18% below national
101 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $119,580 19% below national
102 Peoria, IL $119,550 19% below national
103 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $119,340 19% below national
104 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $119,290 19% below national
105 Springfield, IL $119,110 19% below national
106 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $118,590 19% below national
107 Ogden, UT $118,080 20% below national
108 Reading, PA $117,980 20% below national
109 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $117,480 20% below national
110 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $117,290 20% below national
111 Madison, WI $117,120 20% below national
112 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $117,030 20% below national
113 Gainesville, FL $116,200 21% below national
114 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $116,190 21% below national
115 Bloomington, IL $115,970 21% below national
116 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $115,000 22% below national
117 Medford, OR $114,920 22% below national
118 Bismarck, ND $114,110 22% below national
119 Chattanooga, TN-GA $113,840 23% below national
120 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $113,290 23% below national
121 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $113,110 23% below national
122 Omaha, NE-IA $113,110 23% below national
123 Lexington-Fayette, KY $112,420 23% below national
124 Albuquerque, NM $111,250 24% below national
125 Cleveland, OH $111,100 24% below national
126 Green Bay, WI $110,960 24% below national
127 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $110,840 25% below national
128 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $110,770 25% below national
129 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $110,060 25% below national
130 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $109,210 26% below national
131 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $108,390 26% below national
132 Champaign-Urbana, IL $108,130 26% below national
133 Tulsa, OK $108,080 26% below national
134 Savannah, GA $107,250 27% below national
135 Corpus Christi, TX $106,990 27% below national
136 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $106,880 27% below national
137 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $106,350 28% below national
138 Duluth, MN-WI $106,230 28% below national
139 Lancaster, PA $105,770 28% below national
140 Urban Honolulu, HI $105,210 28% below national
141 Anchorage, AK $105,160 28% below national
142 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $105,160 28% below national
143 Bend, OR $105,020 29% below national
144 Wichita, KS $105,000 29% below national
145 Tallahassee, FL $104,790 29% below national
146 Pittsburgh, PA $104,640 29% below national
147 College Station-Bryan, TX $104,520 29% below national
148 Reno, NV $104,360 29% below national
149 Santa Fe, NM $103,990 29% below national
150 Amarillo, TX $103,880 29% below national
151 Lincoln, NE $103,570 30% below national
152 El Paso, TX $103,530 30% below national
153 Asheville, NC $103,440 30% below national
154 Bozeman, MT $103,050 30% below national
155 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $103,000 30% below national
156 Killeen-Temple, TX $101,950 31% below national
157 Corvallis, OR $101,710 31% below national
158 Tyler, TX $101,510 31% below national
159 Tucson, AZ $100,530 32% below national
160 Billings, MT $99,990 32% below national
161 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $99,650 32% below national
162 Boise City, ID $98,860 33% below national
163 Waco, TX $98,850 33% below national
164 Akron, OH $98,500 33% below national
165 Birmingham, AL $98,210 33% below national
166 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $98,160 33% below national
167 Florence, SC $97,940 33% below national
168 Toledo, OH $96,830 34% below national
169 Jackson, MS $94,680 36% below national
170 Abilene, TX $93,710 36% below national
171 Montgomery, AL $92,870 37% below national
172 Jefferson City, MO $92,550 37% below national
173 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $91,900 37% below national
174 Columbia, SC $91,550 38% below national
175 Spartanburg, SC $90,500 38% below national
176 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $90,330 39% below national
177 Lubbock, TX $88,350 40% below national
178 Oklahoma City, OK $81,000 45% below national
179 Baton Rouge, LA $78,370 47% below national
180 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $72,910 50% below national
181 Mobile, AL $70,430 52% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 11 (Management Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 36 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Management Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($146,910 here) and reported employment (74,850 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Public Relations Managers make?
The median annual salary for Public Relations Managers is $146,910 ($70.63/hour). The salary range spans from $82,410 at the 10th percentile to $284,990 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Public Relations Managers pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $146,910, Public Relations Managers pay is higher than 95% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Public Relations Managers the most?
District of Columbia pays the highest median salary for Public Relations Managers at $197,600/year, which is +35% above the national median.
What education do Public Relations Managers need?
BLS assigns Public Relations Managers to Bachelor's degree for typical education needed for entry. Its typical related-work-experience assignment is 5 years or more.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Public Relations Managers?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Public Relations Managers in this release. WageDex shows the Management Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Public Relations Managers a good career?
Employment for Public Relations Managers is projected to grow 5% from 2024 to 2034, which is about as fast as average. About 6,600 openings are projected each year.
How does Public Relations Managers pay vary by state?
Public Relations Managers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $197,600/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $72,290/year. BLS data covers 49 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Public Relations Managers?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $213,510/year. BLS reports a median for 181 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Public Relations Managers pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $204,520/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $197,600/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.